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More than 9 killed in Sri Lankan prison riot

09 November 2012 19:12 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. More than nine people were killed and at least 20 officers of the security forces were injured when a riot broke out at a prison here on Friday, the Sri Lankan prisons commissioner said, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The riot broke out when prison guards together with police commandos attempted to search the cells of the Welikada prison for heroin and mobile phones.

Prisoners then attacked the prison guards and police with stones forcing the police to fire tear-gas inside the prison to control the situation.

The situation however further escalated and the military was called in as the prisoners broke into the prison armory and stole the weapons, Prisons Commissioner P. W. Kodippili told Xinhua.

He said that the prisoners fired at the security forces and the police using the weapons they had stolen.

Eye witnesses said that some inmates attempted to escape from the prison and were shot by the security forces.

The Colombo national hospital said that nine bodies were brought to the hospital and 34 were admitted with injuries. Among those injured was the head of the police commando unit.

Journalists who went to cover the riot were also injured and admitted to hospital. A busy road adjoining the prison complex was closed during evening rush hour as bullets fell on the street.

Police and army reinforcements were deployed to the prison and the situation as brought under control, the prisons commissioner said.